A Nightmare in Love
by puzzleshipper4life
Summary: Hey! This time I'm doing a YuGiOh version of Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas. Love the movie and I love the director. Huge fan of the genius. Summery inside. Alot of plot twists.
1. This is Halloween

**Title: **A Nightmare in Love

**Genre: **romance and fantasy

**Pairings: **puzzleshipping(YamixYugi), bakushhipping(BakuraxRyouxAkefia) puppyshipping(SetoxJoey), bronzeshipping(MarikxMalik), supportshipping(TristanxTea), cheershipping(DukexSerenity), conquestshipping(ValonxMai), minor roseshipping(PegasusxCecelia)

**Summary: **Based on Tim Burton's classic The Nightmare Before Christmas, it tells of a love story that took place in the Holiday Worlds of Old. Yami is the Nightmare King that rules the Halloween holiday with many adoring subjects with one who loves him with all his heart, Yugi the Ragdoll. After another successful year, Yami becomes worn out of the same old routine they've done every year for Halloween, not even a visit to a fellow Holiday Leader and dear friend Dartz, ruler of Christmas, had helped to lift his spirits. But when Dartz all of a sudden disappears before the end of November, Yami has been trusted to take over the holiday until the Holly Lord returns. But when Yugi has a vision, things could only get worse. Once the two find out who is responsibe for Dartz's disappearance, will Yami be able to save Christmas with the help of Yugi's undieing love, or will everything go up in flames?

Yeah I know I should get a couple of my other works done first. But I had this story planned out for a while, and I wanted to at least get the first chapter done and up.

**Yugi: **That's fine, Niana. You're an author after all.

**Yami:***wraps arm around the sweet Hikari* That's true. Writting a lot is the job for an author.

I'm still in training until I get one of my books published. I'm just glad to have people online reading my works. I did put a lot of work into them.

**Yami and Yugi: **But you've put your heart into them and that could be why you have readers.

Thanks you two. You guys are just the best. Now could one of you do the disclaimer? I'm going to see if I can get any of the others in.

**Yami: **Sure thing. Niana doesn't own YuGiOh or the Nightmare Before Christmas. Besides, she would never steal from someone she's a huge fan of. Enjoy!*gives a wink and a thumbs up*

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><p>Chapter 1<p>

This is Halloween

_'Twas a long time ago, longer now than it seems. In a place you've perhaps seen in your dreams. For the story you're about to be told began in the old worlds of the holidays. Now you've might have wondered where these wonderful times came from. If you haven't, I'd say it's time you begun to wonder._

Entering the holiday world behind a door shaped like a white pumpkin with gray shades around the eyes and a gray tint all around the mouth, we enter a world where everything is pitch black and the one thing that catches the eye is a scaregrow with a glowing pumpkin for a head, holding a wooden sign that read 'HALLOWEEN TOWN' in black letters in one hand with a branch from an old willow tree with a few dead leaves remaining in the other hand. As you pass the scarecrow, you could almost miss a sign of the scarecrow giving you a wink.

Finally out of the dark, you find yourself surrounded by endless tombstones in a cemetary and suddenly see shadows appear on the stones, one being a ghost, a second shadow a werewolf, and a third is a girl with two heads instead of one, weilding one knife in each hand. Then you start to hear many voices as they sang together as one.

**Boys and girls**

**of every age**

**Would you like to see**

**something strange?**

**Come with us **

**and you will see**

**This our town**

**of Halloween**

Then appearing by a long iron spiked fence are a group of ghosts as they chant along with the long with pumpkins falling out of the night sky with different spooky expressions and landing on different spikes on the fence.

**This is Halloween**

**This is Halloween**

**Pumpkins scream**

**in the dead of night**

**This is Halloween**

**Everybody make a scene**

**Trick or treat till the**

**neighbor's gonna die of fright**

Entering a town with buildings in nothing but dark colors and spiked roofs, the ghosts circle around the square like voltures circle their dead prey.

**It's our town**

**Everybody scream**

**In this town**

**of Halloween**

Following the ghosts through town, you learn all you need to know of the residents of this Halloween world.

**I am the one hiding**

**under your bed**

**Teeth ground sharp**

**and eyes glowing red**

You see a demon who is seventeen appear from under a bed with incredibly sharp teeth and his eyes glowing an ominious red before turning back to a dark purple color with crazy sandy-blondhair that appeared as if he was struck by lightning and a few veins popping out from his forehead. His eyes are red when he is mad and wants to appear more scary.

**I am the one hiding**

**under your stairs**

**Fingers like snakes**

**and spiders in my hair**

Next is another boy who is seventeen as well with a more tamed appearance than the first demon that appears from the stairs he was hiding under and join the demon who emerged from the bed, his snake fingers wrap around his lover's arm and a spider that is settled in his short, more smooth sandy-blond weaving spider silk into his strands.

Now in a room full of coffins, a book on a stand is open with the pages quickly flipping on their own with a grandfather clock ticking and the coffins pop open with the four once sleeping vampires emerge and quickly joined each other's side.

**This is Halloween**

**This is Halloween**

**Halloween, Halloween**

**Halloween, Halloween**

**In this town**

**we call home**

**Everyone hail to**

**the nightmare song**

The four vampires, Mahad, Isis, Shada, and Mana then refer the nightmare song being their holiday leader.

Then we see, a man in his late thirties wearing a mayor suit completed with a tall top hat settled on top of his silver white hair and a spider for a tie, his ember eyes having different patterns stand upon the roof of a herse that is his vehicle.

**In this town**

**Don't we love it now**

**Everybody's waiting for**

**the next surprise**

In a dark alley, a dark pink cat with deep purple eyes and a matching ribbon around her neck came down a flight of stairs to find and join her master who had snuck out of the doctor's manor. Jumping on top of a trash can, she feels the lid all of a sudden lift, rocketing her away as a young woman in her mid twenties with vivid violet eyes and her long blond hair really being yellow poisonous snacks appear with two werewolves, one with brown fur and icy blue eyes and the other having a dirty blond fur and honey-brown eyes both being eighteen joining her by crashing through a weak brick wall.

**Round that corner, man**

**Hiding in the trash can**

**Something's waiting now to **

**pounce and how you'll scream**

**This is Halloween**

**Red and black**

**Slimy green**

**Aren't you scared**

The two werewolves, Seto and Joey ask the question if anyone is scared at this time of year. Now in a deep, dark well, you see two witches, one with short brown hair and blue eyes who is seventeen, the second with long auburn hair and green eyes being fifteen riding their magic brooms.

**Well that's just fine**

**Say it once, say it twice**

**Take a chance**

**and roll the dice**

**Ride with the moon**

**In the dead of night**

As soon as the two witches are out of the well, next is a young woman also seventeen with dark skin, her black hair in two chinese buns, gills on her neck, her hands and feet wadded and seaweed that were wrapped around the skeletons of small dead water birds hanging from her arms.

**Everybody scream**

**Everybody scream**

Then the dead birds perk up as they join their mistress.

**In our town**

**of Halloween**

Next a boy that is dressed as a clown soon appears by the medussa woman, Mai and sings as he grabs for the side of his face.

**I am the clown**

**with the tear-away face**

And did just that to show he can do it before quickly disappearing in a puff of red smoke after kissing Mai's hand like a gentleman.

**Here in a flash **

**and gone without a trace**

Then, stepping out of the shadows of a building and out of hiding, is a seventeen year old boy with pale blue skin, tri-color hair with a black base, blond bangs with a cute forlock in the middle, and red and dark purple tips, wide amythest eyes that holds a light innocence, shirt of mismatched fabrics, dark brown caprise with a few tears at the end and on the legs, black boots, and stitches all over his body; one across his right eye, small ones at each corner of his grey colored lips, a few on his wrists, long ones that went around both upperarms, one around his neck like a chocker, one on his chest, and some on his legs. He is Yugi, the ragdoll.

On his arm is a basket he has when he's out to pick Deadly Nightshade, a plant that can only be found in the cemetary of Halloween Town. Yugi uses the plant to poison the doctor so he can run off to join the residents of Halloween Town. But mostly he's in town to see the King of Nightmares.

Seeing the dark pink cat appear by his feet and rubbing her body against his leg. Smiling at his companion, Yugi bends down a strokes the purring feline.

**I am the "who" when you call**

**"Who's there?"**

**I am the wind blowing**

**through your hair**

Suddenly Yugi felt the wind pick up and begin to play with his hair. Then a shadow appears in the ever-full moon.

**I am the shadow**

**on the moon at night**

**Filling your dreams**

**to the brim with fright**

After the shadow vanishes from the moon, the tall, iron gates open and three men, with a boy in his eighteenth age wearing a green long coat, black pants and boots, a green top hat that hid two much smaller versions of himself and the second an eighteen year old boy with tan skin, blue eyes, red suit with devil horns on his head and devils tail swishing behind him and a big wicked devils grin on his face waltz into town with the third man, a big tanned man in dark red overalls, an ax embedded in his head, leading a skeleton horse that had a shadow figure riding the strong steed.

**This is Halloween**

**This is Halloween**

**Halloween, Halloween**

**Halloween, Haloween**

In the town square, right next to the guillotine are three corpse teens, two eighteen and the third seventeen. They shared the same appeaance with the two eighteen year olds having more spikier white hair and brown eyes that had a sharp edge to them with one having pale skin like their young lover and the other taned skin with a 'T' shaped scar over his left eye while the seventeen year old appeared more gentle compared to his two lovers.

**Tender lumplings**

**everywhere**

**Lifes no fun**

**without a good scare**

The gentle corpse teen started as he brought his two lovers close to him.

**That's our job**

**But we're not mean**

**In our town**

**of Halloween**

The older boys soon joined him in song before they leave their spot to join everyone in the square to see their Nightmare King makes his appearance.

**In this town**

**Don't we love it now**

**Everyone's waiting**

**for the next surprise**

The mayor, Pegasus, still stands upon his herse when he shows Bobosa leading the skeleton steed and his master around the square.

**Master Yami**

**might catch in the back**

**And scream like a banshee**

**Make you jump out of your skin**

A few residents had approach their beloved leader to welcome him to the party. Then one of them held a dark medallion to the shadow figure, who appeared to be smirking as he took the special item and place it around his neck.

**This is Halloween**

**Everybody scream**

**Won't ya please make way**

**for a very special guy**

Yugi and his cat, Amethyst peer around a dead weeping willow with Yugi smiling, it is almost time for their holiday leader to appear.

**Our man Yami is king**

**of nightmares**

**Everyone hail**

**to the Nightmare King now**

With the medallion around his neck, the shadow figure summons shadow magic into his hands, commanding a dark purple flame to cover his entire being, causing many Halloween Town residents to gasp at the terrifying act. Just as his steed stopped a good few inches from the fountain, the figure leaped from the back of the skeleton horse and dive into the deep fountain like an arrow.

**This is Halloween**

**This is Halloween**

**Halloween, Halloween**

**Halloween, Halloween**

Everyone waiting for their king to emerge, the corpse lovers stand by the stone edge of the fountain to finish with the last of the town's theme.

**In this town**

**we call home**

**Everyone hail**

**to the nightmare song**

In no time, slowly coming out of the fountain is a young man of seventeen years, pale skin as white as a skeleton's fresh bone, deep crimson eyes with a light grey eye shadow, his lips the same grey color, arms crossed over his chest with his nails painted black, tri-color hair with a black base, white bangs with some going up the base like lightning bolts, and tips in a gentle grey color, wearing a pinstrip suit with black boots and a bow tie that appears as a bat with its wings opening from being right against his chest and shoulders.

As the residents hail to the King of Nightmares, a wolf's howl could be heard not too far as Yami stood atop the fountain's water dragon with shadow magic forming at the tips of is fingers to show that shadow flame one last time, which led to every attendant to applaud at the closing of an exciting and horrible Halloween, with the witches giving off witch laughter and tossing their hats into the hair like a disk, Valon the Clown giving Mai a huge kiss on the lips as he tip her down his left, Tristan Hyde and Mako the devil high-fiving.

"Great Halloween, everyone." Pegasus says as a mummy with some of his tanned skin exposed, Shadi helps Yami down and off the fountain.

Facing his loyal residents, Yami adds, "i believe this has been our most horrible yet. Thank you, everyone for all of your hard work each year to make our holiday successful."

Everyone all flattered with his words, Pegasus replies for the people, "Oh no, it's thanks to you, Yami. None of this is possible without your brilliant leadership."

"Not at all, Mayor Pegasus." said Yami with a bow to his coleader.

Then each resident approach their leader with words of admiration. His fluttering for the man who holds his heart, Yugi slightly steps out from behind the willow, only to feel a wrinkled old hand grab his wrist rather rouphly. Turning as he is being pulled away and forced to crouch slightly because the person holding his wrist is in an automatic wheelchair, Yugi found himself staring into the anger of the man who created him and his older sister with Miaka appearing like she had been demanded by their creator and grandfather to search for her brother ater he had left again. "The Deadly Nightshade you slipped me wore off, Yugi."

Glancing up at his older sister, Miaka simply gave him a look that said _"Sorry little brother". _Trying to free his wrist from the tight grip, Yugi said with Amethyst standing next to her master, "Let go, grandpa."

"You know you're not ready for so much excitement."

"Yes I am." Yugi tried to convince Solomon that he is ready to be with the rest of the town.

Using a small lever on his wheelchair, Solomon turned so he could lead the two back to the manor. "You're coming with me right now."

Struggling to free himself, Yugi yelled, "No, I'm not!" Just as he was going for the string that kept his arm and should meet, Amethyst sprang from where she sat and pounce onto Solomon's face, causing him to release his grip on Yugi, allowing Yugi to escape. With the boy gone and the cat leapt from the doctor to chase after her master, Solomon yelled after his grandson, "Come back here, you troublesome child!"

Grabbing her grandfather's fist, Miaka says with a gentle tone, "Just let him go, grandfather. He'll come back home when he wants to."

Seeing there being no point in argueing, Solomon let Miaka roll his wheelchair back to the manor. Besides, she is one of the reasons that Yugi is always able to sneak out of the manor in the first place.

Back in the square, Yami is having to backing away as each resident give him their comments of admiration. "Ooh, Yami. You are the essence of pure nightmares." Vivian the Undersea Gal said.

"Well thank you all very much." said Yami as he backed slowy into a path that led to the cemetary.

Just then, Pegasus came on the intercome with an announcement, drawing the residents' attention away, "Hold it! We haven't given out the prizes yet." which allowed Yami the first chance to get away.

With everyone now occupied with earning awards, Yami hid behind a stone wall, letting out a sigh of relief. Now making his way to the cemetary gate, Yami slowly passes by the town band as they play low, spooky tunes with Yami taking a coin from his pocket and flipping it into an old worn-out hat, which caught the saxaphone player, Duke's attention. "Nice work, Night Lord." Duke and his band say to their leader.

Looking down spirited and weary of the same routine each year, Yami simply dismisses them by saying, "Yeah, I suppose. Just like last year and all of the previous years." What everyone doesn't know about their Nightmare King is that he had reached his wits end. Well, maybe the only one that does know is a certain ragdoll.

* * *

><p>Well, that's it for chapter 1. And to be clear, I don't want to hear anyone complain about the songs I'll have in the story. To be honest, the songs help make the chapters longer. Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed how I started this version of a favorite movie. As for the cover, the credit goes to the original artist. In fact the pic is what inspired me to do a fanfic with Nightmare Before Christmas. So I'll see you guys next chapter!<p>

**next: **a leader's saddness


	2. Yami's Lament

Okay, here's chapter 2. Not really much to say here without any spoilers, but I will let you guys know that I plan on making this story different from the classic like obviously I have a Nightmare King here instead of the Pumpkin King and you discover more of Yugi's feelings for Yami. I just hope all who read this will enjoy my changes. And to answer your question, **GirlFish**, I am going to do a YuGiOh Corpse Bride and a sequel to this story. In fact, I have the first chapter of Sealed Pharaoh being worked on, I just won't put it up until A Nightmare in Love and Panic's Revenge are finished. Panic's Revenge will be like the video game Tim Burton's the Nightmare Before Christmas Oogie's Revenge, it's a sequel to the movie and it's fun to play. That story will have a few new twists as well. So I hope everyone of you who reads my works enjoy this one!

* * *

><p>Chapter 2<p>

Yami's Lament

Having to be able to successfully escape his grandfather's clutches, Yugi sits with his back gently against a tombstone so he wouldn't tip it too far back with Amethyst curled in his lap, purring as her master praised her for what she did by stroking her back. Hearing a small creak from the cemetary gate opening, Yugi quickly pick up Amethyst with only one arm and hid behind the tombstone, scared that he was followed. Seeing it's only Yami as he entered the cemetary and shutting the gate behind him, Yugi felt his racing heart settle and begin to flutter at the sight of Halloween's young leader.

As Yami made his way swiftly through the area to a certain tombstone that had a silver wolf laying beside the stone, Yugi stayed hidden, out of his crush's sight. As soon as he stood next to the sleeping wolf, Yami knelt down and pet the wolf's soft fur, causing the beautiful canine to wake up and smile at her master with her tail waging like any loyal friendly dog.

Now that he had his faithful companion with him, Yami at first glance up at the huge full moon behind Spiral Hill then at the endless tombstones all around him.

**There are few who'd deny**

**At what I do**

**I am the best**

**For my talents**

**are renowned far and wide**

It was true that with everyone knowing what he does he is the very best at and barely anyone denies or doubts that. Quickly hiding behind a scary gargoyle statue, Yami did a short jump scare with his shadow magic quickly add affects to what he is doing as the wolf, Skye follow her master.

**When it comes to surprises**

**in the moonlit night**

**I excel without ever**

**even trying**

As Skye follow close behind, she appeared to be giving Yami a smile of agreement as he leapt gracefully onto the very tip of a tombstone with his tiptoes.

**With the slightest**

**little effort**

**Of my ghostlike charms**

**I have seen grown men**

**give out a shriek**

With each leap from one tombstone to the other, Yami appears to barely give an effort for his act as Skye stood by each stone, her tail wagging each time he landed successfully before jummping off the third stone and between two statues, one a completely scared man screaming and the other a freaked out horse.

**With a wave of my hand**

**And a well-placed moan**

At first he is in a crouching position with his arms crossed in front of him with his shadow magic forming at his finger tips like fire before standing on his feet, arms extended to his sides and then pulling them back in with his hands becoming fists, extinguishing the shadow flames completely.

**I have swept the very bravest**

**off their feet**

At first Yugi could see that he seems proud of what he's done. However, the ragdoll knew something else about the Nightmare King that no one else knew of, not even his closest friends of Halloween Town. In all truth, Yami has become worn out with the same thing happening every year for Halloween.

**Yet year after year**

**It's the same routine**

**And I grow so weary**

**of the sound of screams**

Yugi could easily see that Yami is indeed fed up and very fatique as he watch him slump against a tall gravemarker.

**And I, Yami**

**the Nightmare King**

**Have grown so tired**

**of the same old thing**

As he hears more and more of how he feels as Yami makes his way to the top of Spiral Hill and he remains behind him at a decent distance while hiding behind the frightened horse statue, Yugi couldn't help but gasp at the possibilities that they are alike with Yugi's own problems surfacing to the front of his mind.

**Oh somewhere deep**

**Inside of my heart**

**An emptiness**

**Began to grow**

**There's something**

**out there**

**Far from my home**

**A longing that**

**I've never known**

With Yami standing upon Spiral Hill with Skye sitting by his side, his shadow of leadership shine along with the full moon light, Yugi could feel his heart tighten a bit as tears slowly form in his beautiful amethyst eyes with Amethyst staying beside her master's feet.

**I'm the master of hallows**

**And a demon of shadows**

**And I'll scare you**

**right out of your crypt**

Even the souls of the dead get scared of the Nightmare King. With the wave of a single hand, ghosts and spirits lurking in the crypts and mausoleums in the cemetary appeared out of their eternal sleep, bowing to the Shadow Master.

**To a guy in Kentucky**

**I'm Mr. Unlucky**

**And I'm known throughout**

**Japan and Egypt**

When Yugi and Amethyst moved to a hiding spot closer to Spiral Hill,he stepped and broke a dead branch, which caused Skye and almost Yami to catch him hiding. The only one who didn't miss the ragdoll boy, Skye had recgonized him as the one who's eyes sparkle at the sight of the Nightmare King, but different from how the residents of Halloween Town beam at the sight of their leader. In fact, the emotion that sparlkes in his eyes is more than just admiration, it's love. A strong love that's hidden away from everyone, even Yami, just waiting to be revealed to him at the right moment.

**And since I have the dead**

**I can take off a head**

**To recite Shakespearean**

**quotations**

**No animal nor man**

**can scream like I can**

**With the fury**

**of my recitations**

Sure everything he had said to describe himself as his subjects see him are good and true. But Yami kept one thing to himself; his desires for someone to understand his feelings and share the same emptiness that lingers in his heart.

**But who here**

**Would ever understand**

**That the Nightmare King**

**With the shadow grin**

**Would tire of his crown**

**If they only understood**

**He'd give it all up**

**if he only could**

Leaning out of hiding for a moment, Yugi could clearly see the sadness Yami hid from everyone but the one with eyes that could see the details of one's emotions quite easily. Feeling Skye gently scratch at his leg, Yami turned toward the wolf to pet her, causing Yugi to think he'll get caught if he remained out in the open, so he ducked back into hiding.

**Oh, there's an empty**

**Place in my heart**

**That calls out for **

**Something unknown**

With Spiral Hill unwinding under his feet to a hill close to the other gate, Yami made his way off the hill to leave the area and enter the woods with Skye close behind.

**The fame and praise**

**Come year after year**

**Does nothing for**

**These empty tears**

Now that he was gone and it's safe to come out, Yugi reached out to where he last saw Yami as Spiral Hill returned to his regular position. "Yami, I know how you feel." Yugi whispers as he places his hand over his heart that beats tenderly for the Nightmare King. The two both yearned for freedom; Yami a freedom to an exciting life and Yugi a freedom of his grandfather and creator's strict rules and be with the crowd in fun events.

Making his way to a dead bush, Yugi found the herb he needed to restock on; Deadly Nightshade. With Amethyst's help, Yugi gathered enough of the herbs in his basket and quietly made his way back to Solomon's manor. Back at home, with the sound of thunder outside, Yugi enters the kitchen to place the Deadly Nightshade plant he recieved in the dark purple jar he kept the herbs hidden in the single pantry. As soon as he shut the pantry door, Yugi saw light at the corner of his eye and turned to see Solomon come down the slant staircase.

Coming face to face with his troublesome creation as Amethyst hid behind her master's legs, Solomon said with a somewhat tired tone, "I see you've come back, Yugi."

"I had to since it's late and a storm is coming."

"Shall we head to bed, then?" With a single nod, Yugi held his ams to Amethyst who immediately leapt into them and he followed Solomon up the stairs. "That's twice this month you slipped Deadly Nightshade into my tea and run off."

"Thrice actually, grandpa." Yugi attempted to correct him, only to make the elder snap.

"You're mine you know. I made you and Miaka with my own hands."

"You can also make other creations. I'm restless. I can't help it, grandpa."

His angered face softening, Solomon then said with a more patient tone, "It's just a phase my boy, it will pass. We need to patient, that's all."

"But I don't want to be patient." Yugi added as they stopped in front of an iron door that led to a bedroom that Yugi shares with his sister.

Open the door, Solomon said as the boy went inside, "Well, get some sleep. You had a long night."

"Okay, good night grandpa."

"Good night Yugi." With that, Solomon closed the door and continued on to his own room. Sure he loves Yugi as his own as well as his sister Miaka, but when he wants to join the events going on in town, he'll do anything to join the other members of Halloween Town and his sister always helps him do that while she happily stayed behind to distract Solomon from noticing Yugi is gone.

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><p>Chapter 2 complete. Review to let me know what you like so far. I want to know what people think of this new one. So later!<p>

**next: **a visit to a close friend


	3. Visit

Here's chapter 3. I thought I had put it up, but I guess I didn't. But now it's up. I don't have much to say since the boys are out and I'll be leaving for work soon. So, enjoy!

* * *

><p>Chapter 3<p>

Visit

In the woods, Yami is a good distance from the cemetery and Halloween Town, making his way to a certain destination to visit a friend. Then Skye started to bark with a small howl. Slightly turning toward the silver wolf, Yami said with his hand out to her, a sign saying no, "Not now, Skye. I'm not in the mood." Then she jumped in front of his path, stopping him in his tracks with her letting out a low howl. Seeing no point in arguing with her, Yami gave in since Skye always loves it when he plays with her.

"Alright Skye." Within a couple seconds, Yami used his magic to form an object shaped like a twig and held it above the wolf's head. "Here you go, girl." Yami tossed the twig like shadow object into the trees with Skye immediately chasing after it. At first she lost sight of the shadow object, but after activating her special ability, Moon Eyes that allows her to see things in the deepest darkness that's untouched by the moonlight, Skye located the shadow object, pick it up with her mouth and went to catch up to her master.

The next morning, Mayor Pegasus arrives at the front gates of Yami's home, a single room apartment with a spiral staircase, a fireplace, a bed in front of the fireplace that never catches on fire because of an element resistance seal, a tall black ebony wardrobe, a small kitchen, and windows all around the room that allows a great view of the town and surrounding areas. Sleeping beside the gate is Duke Devlin and his band who were awakened by Pegasus' arrival. Stepping out of his hearse with a few rolled up parchment papers under one arm, Pegasus bowed to Duke and his group and said with his usual cheerful yet creepy tone of voice, "Good morning, gentlemen."

Opening the gate and going up the porch steps, Pegasus stood in front of the door and rang the doorbell that was a small brown mouse dangling upside down from its tail and let out a somewhat soft scream as the mouse reil back up. When he didn't get a reply the first time, Pegasus rang again and said, "Yami-boy, you home?"

Still not getting a response, Pegasus' turned from his happy **and** cheerful face to his pale and worried face without a single strand of his silver hair moving an inch and knocked on the dark maple door three times before switching faces so he sounded cheerful. ""Yami, I've got the plans for next Halloween! We need to go over them so we can get started as soon as possible."

Nothing but silence still, Pegasus became worried again. "Yami-boy please. I'm only an elected official here. I can't make the big decisions like you do." Still nothing, Pegasus took out his mega phone and yelled up to the top of the apartment and leaning back, hoping to get his attention, "Yami, answer me..." but before he could finish, Pegasus had leaned back too far, causing him to lose his balance and roll down the stairs like a bowling ball until he hit the gate with his back.

As the mayor glance up at the apartment, the band member who plays the accordion says, "He's not home."

"Where is he then?" said Pegasus, his worry growing in the pit of his stomach.

"He hasn't been home all night." Duke says with a calm tone, knowing that his friend wanted to be alone as soon as Halloween ended last night.

Back in the woods with the pumpkin-shaped sun out, hanging overhead, Yami who has been walking all night with Skye right beside him, finally arrived at the building he was making his way to, Yami immediately went inside to find the one specific door that had the portal that would lead him to his destination. As soon as he saw a door shaped like a green tree that had different colored orbs, gold ribbons, silver crystals and a beautiful angel sitting at the very top, Yami smiled that he found what he was looking for.

With Skye staying close, Yami opened the door, allowing a few white snowflakes wrap around the two and a gentle breeze from inside pull them in, enter a swirling vortex and in a few seconds, arrived in a world covered with puffy white snow, colorful buildings having more space between them than most buildings in Halloween Town, a merry-go-round with different arctic and winter animals in the town square like the fountain back home next to a huge Christmas tree, a huge frozen pond where a few elves were ice skating in an area similar to the cemetery, a fort built out of snow with a few children playing a snowball fight with a few smiling parents watching and talking among themselves, and the biggest building was a mix of a manor and a toy factory.

Getting to his feet as Skye shook off the snow from when they landed, Yami slid down the hill with his companion close behind until they stopped right at the edge of the square, where a few elves saw them slide down from the hill. Once he made eye contact to those watching, the elves smile at the Nightmare King of Halloween Town, for those of Halloween and Christmas were great companions for their leaders were close friends. Gathering around their visiting guests, Yami gives each one of the elves a sincere smile and shook a few hands as a couple elves give Skye attention as well.

"Have you come to see Dartz?" one child elf asked with his big eyes sparkling.

When he gave them a single nod with a smile, the elves' faces beamed as they start to lead their Halloween guests to Dartz's home. Arriving just outside the front door, Yami pulled on the rope that caused two silver bells to ring. Within one minute, the red door opened and Yami came face to face with a young woman with long brown hair, lovely brown eyes, wearing a long red dress that appears as smooth as silk with a few white ribbons, matching slippers with a silver outline, and a face full of a motherly kindness.

Seeing their guest, the woman gives him a smile and says with a bow, "Welcome back, Nightmare King."

Returning the bow, Yami replies, "Thank you, Iona. Is Dartz in?"

"He's in the parlor, going over his list of nice or naughty children. I'm sure a break from his work to see you will be nice."

Being led inside, the next face Yami saw is a young girl, about eight years old, her brown hair in two braided ringlets, the same brown eyes as Iona, wearing a white dress like Iona's with sky blue ribbons, and matching slippers. As soon as she recognized their guests, the child ran into Yami's arms with a huge smile on her face. "Yami, you're here!"

Holding her in his arms, Yami smile at her. "Hey Chris." Chris, Dartz and Iona's daughter always looked up to Yami as an older brother and she always loves it whenever he comes to visit when both him and her father aren't too busy with the holidays they were in charge of.

Once she saw Skye right by Yami, Chris asked, "Is it okay if Skye and I play?"

Stroking her smooth hair like a brother, Yami replies, "You can play with her as long as I'm here to see your father."

"Okay." With that, Chris and Skye run off, with the wolf playfully chase the child. Now that they were gone, Iona led Yami to the parlor and soon enough, they see Dartz in his chair by the fireplace, scanning over a long list, putting checks next to a few names and lines over others.

"Dartz dear, you have a visitor." said Iona.

Glancing up from his list, Dartz smiled as soon as he saw his best friend and fellow holiday leader. "Welcome, Yami." Dartz said and gestured to a seat right across from him as he roll his list up with one hand and setting it aside in the case that has been designed to hold the long list when it's not being checked over.

As Yami took the seat that was offered, Iona said from the doorway, "Would you like something to drink, Yami?"

"Some hot chocolate sounds nice." With a single nod of her head, Iona left the room to enter the kitchen and make a few drinks and get some Christmas snacks.

"So, did you have another successful Halloween?"

"Yeah, it was our most horrible yet." Yami said with a small smile. However, the tone of voice he used said something else.

"Is something bothering you, Yami?" Dartz asked, but the only response he got was Yami glancing away, his attention on the flickering flames. Before Dartz could say anything else, Iona returned with a tray of two mugs of hot chocolate and a small plate of Christmas cookies and a few chocolate truffles and she left after she set the tray down on the glass coffee table. Taking a sip of his beverage, Dartz continued, "Yami, don't think you can hide anything from me after we've known each other for a long time, ever since our fathers were holiday leaders."

Before answering, Yami let out a deep sigh and finally faced his friend. "I just feel worn out of the same routine my subjects and I use to scare people."

Then he understood where he is going. "I see. I know that feeling of Christmas being tiresome as well. But I know it's all worth it when I see the bright faces of everyone around the world when they open the gifts I bring them each year."

"I know it's worth it sometimes, but doing the same thing over and over each year just makes me really fatigue." reply Yami as he took a drink from his beverage.

"Well, have you ever thought about trying something new and inspiring? Such as ask any ideas from the residents of Halloween Town?"

"I've thought about asking, but just everyone had suggested things that are all the same."

"Did you ask someone that could have different thoughts and opinions from the others?"

Thinking over whom he had asked suggestions from, one person did come to mind as someone he has yet to ask; Yugi the Ragdoll. But ever since they first met, Yami had noticed that Doctor Solomon has been keeping Yugi and his sister Miaka at the manor since the doctor thought they both weren't ready to join the residents of Halloween Town. But he had seen Yugi out a few times with only his cat with him, so that left Miaka being back at the manor with Solomon.

"There is one person I have yet to talk to about suggestions for Halloween."

Dartz then gave his friend a smile. "Then as soon as you return home, go straight to that person and talk to them about it."

Yami still felt unsure about asking Yugi for any suggestions, but he is willing to try. So for the next couple of hours, the two friends discussed about personal topics and how things have been with the residents of both Halloween and Christmas Town.

After a few hours of discussing a few things, Yami thanked Dartz for the advice and Iona for the refreshments. Once Skye joined him after he had whistled for her, signalling it is time to head home, Yami bid Dartz, his family, and the Christmas residents farewell and left the Christmas world by going through the door that will lead him home.

However, unknown to the two holiday leaders, there is a pair of black eyes watch everything from the shadows. This shadow figure has plans for these two leaders that he will set in action real soon.

* * *

><p>Uh oh, the villain already has plans and I'll tell you they are not good. You all know the drill, review and let me know what you all think so far.<p>

**next:** Yami seeks advise from Yugi


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